The people of the Goldfields

The Goldfields of Western Australia was and still is made up of many people, from poets to politicians, from saints and sinners and everything in between. I hope to tell you the stories of some of these people either famous or infamous or just the ordinary folks. Sometime the most ordinary people do the most extraordinry things

Clara Saunders – First wedding in Coolgardie

10/03/2016 By Moya Sharp 2 Comments

In Celebration of International Woman’s Day 8th March 2016 On 4th July 1894 Clara SAUNDERS & Arthur WILLIAMS were married by the Rev. Thomas TRESTRAIL at John DE BAUN’S Great Western Hotel in Bayley Street Coolgardie. (now the site of the Coolgardie Motel on the corner of Bayley & Hunt Streets) Clara was seventeen & […]

Brother Pay The Ultimate Price – The Hallahan Brothers

07/03/2016 By Moya Sharp Leave a Comment

Walter Rewi Hallahan was one of four Kalgoorlie brothers who served with the Australian army in World War I. Two of them, Alf and Wendell, were killed in France in 1916. Walter was killed in September, 1918, one month before the armistist was declared, while serving with the 11th Battalion.The only brother to return home was […]

Five little graves – Baldock Family Tragedy

06/03/2016 By Moya Sharp 6 Comments

It is of the most humbling experiences to read through the Boulder Cemetery death register. The stark reality of life on the Goldfields in the later years of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th is reflected in the names, death details and monumental inscriptions of those who lived and died here. […]

Joseph J Tovey – A man of many talents !!!

21/02/2016 By Moya Sharp 1 Comment

Back in 2012 I was contacted by Lois Tovey, the wife of Errol John Tovey. She had been browsing on the Outback Family History web site and came across the following photograph on the Meekatharra page. She told me that she had been sent the link to the Meekatharra Photo page by a distant relative […]

Mystery Photo Identified!!!!! – Boulder RSL 1929

20/02/2016 By Moya Sharp 4 Comments

Thanks to Tim Cudini, War Museum Assistant, we have not only been able to name the photograph but also to put names to all thise in the photograph. What a great result. I am sure there are many familiar names in the photograph. One mystery remains and that is ‘why the larger flag is back […]